A continuous web material such as tissue paper or non-woven material may be provided in perforated and non-perforated form. Perforated web material is arranged to break at perforations during dispensing of the web material to produce sheets of web material. Non-perforated web material may for instance be torn against an edge by a user during dispensing to produce sheets of web material.
WO 97/26818 discloses a braking arrangement for dispensers of continuous material in the form of perforated paper. The arrangement includes a first gearwheel arranged for rotation about a first axis and a second gearwheel arranged for rotation about a second axis. The second gearwheel is arranged for displacement relative to the first gearwheel such that the second axis remains parallel to the first axis. The second gearwheel is biased towards the first gearwheel to partially intermesh therewith. A variable gap is defined between the first and second gearwheel for passage of the continuous material. A biasing force acting on the second gear wheel may be set by means of a screw compressing or expanding a spring.
US 2005/067424 discloses a centre pull tissue dispenser for a coreless roll of towel material. Downstream of the roll there is provided a dispensing characteristic adjustment mechanism which includes a passageway through which the towel passes and a passageway restriction controlling member, movable relative to the passageway. The dispenser may be used with perforated or non-perforated towel material. A carrier carries a restriction controller and a restriction adjustment mechanism. The carrier is moveable between two conditions, the first at which the restriction controller is operative and the other at which the restriction controller is substantially removed from the passage way to thereby clear the passageway to allow for more convenient feeding of tissue material.
The restriction controller is mounted in a sliding arrangement to slide in and out of the passage. By rotating a spindle, a linear displacement of the restriction controller will occur. The spindle is actuated by a user of the device to set the degree of restriction that is desired and required for convenient dispensing of the tissue. Such setting may be required when the dispenser is replenished with tissue having different strength characteristics.
US 2003/071102 discloses a dispenser for dispensing flexible web material from a centre pull roll and capable of accommodating different types of web material in the form of sheets separated by lines of perforation. The dispenser comprises a housing, a web support within the housing and structure permitting the dispenser to self-adjust to the effective cross-sectional area of the web. The dispenser structure includes elements positioned to receive the web between them. At least one of the elements is movable and is biased for displacement toward the other. Frictional forces applied to the web by the elements resist a pull force applied to the web by a user so that a single web sheet separates from the web along the perforation when a user pulls on the web outside the housing.
There exists a need for dispensing units and dispensers which are able to be used for dispensing of perforated web material as well as non-perforated web material.